Family insurance

Under certain conditions, spouses and children can be co-insured free of charge in statutory health insurance. This means that they do not have to pay their own health insurance contributions. The insured member simply has to notify the health insurance company of the family members. Read here who is covered free of charge.

Family insurance provides financial relief for many families. It is particularly beneficial

• when one parent is working less or temporarily not working at all to care for the children,
• while receiving maternity and parental benefits,
• while the children are at school or studying,
• on a low income.

The option of family insurance does not exist in private health insurance. There, all family members must pay their own contributions.

Family insurance without contributions is possible if

• the family member to be co-insured has his/her place of residence or habitual abode in Germany,
• the family member insured has only a low income of his/her own that does not exceed the statutory income limit (parental allowance is not taken into account),
• there is no other health insurance that excludes family insurance, for example compulsory insurance as an employee or pensioner,
• there is no full-time self-employment, and
• there is no other health insurance that excludes family insurance. pensioner,
• there is no full-time self-employment.

If the requirements are met, the following persons can be insured free of charge:

• Spouses
• Registered civil partners under the German Civil Partnership Act
• Children up to the age of 18
• Children up to the age of 23 if they are not gainfully employed, e.g. because they are attending school
• Children up to the age of 25 during training or studies. An extension of a further 12 months is possible if the training was interrupted by military service, voluntary service or work as a development worker.
• Children with a disability if they are unable to care for themselves. They can remain covered by family insurance indefinitely - without age limit.
• Stepchildren and grandchildren if the member is the main carer for them.
• Foster children in the home.
• A separated spouse until the divorce decree is final.

Persons in certain professional groups are excluded. These include civil servants, judges, soldiers and clergy.

If one parent has private insurance and the other has statutory insurance, family insurance is excluded if

• the privately insured parent earns more than the parent with statutory insurance and
• the total monthly income of the privately insured parent regularly exceeds one twelfth of the annual income limit (JAEG).You can find out the current income limit from your health insurance company.

Children must then either also be insured in private health insurance or become a voluntary member of statutory health insurance.

If you had private health insurance and meet the requirements for family insurance, you can switch. Private health insurance must be terminated retroactively by the insured person within 3 months of the start of family insurance. Family members must provide their former private health insurance provider with a membership certificate from the new health insurance provider within two months, stating the reason for the statutory insurance.

If the conditions for family insurance are no longer met, those affected automatically continue to have voluntary health insurance, but must then pay their own contributions. However, the insured person can declare their withdrawal if they wish to change health insurance provider or join a private health insurance scheme.